A note from the painting bench
Keep miniature paint recipes you can return to
A practical project record for paint names, mixtures, swatches and session notes, with a reusable template and a worked example.
A useful paint recipe tells your future self what to put on the bench, what order to work in and where you stopped. Start with one record per project and a small labelled swatch. A notebook or plain text file is enough: the aim is to restart a squad next month without reconstructing every decision from photographs.
The template and workflow below are editorial suggestions, rather than a manufacturer's painting method. They concern records for brush-painting projects; follow each product's own application instructions.
Record the decisions that matter
| Field | Write down | Why keep it |
|---|---|---|
| Project and version | A short unique name, date and revision | Separates the original scheme from experiments |
| Surface | Undercoat product and colour; test surface | Gives the paint sequence context |
| Paint identity | Maker, range, full name and reference from the label | Avoids relying on a nickname such as “dark blue” |
| Mixture | Each component, starting quantities and later additions | Distinguishes the first mix from the final one |
| Application | Area, step order, brush and number of coats actually applied | Explains how the mixture was used |
| Reference | Swatch ID, photograph name and viewing light | Connects notes to something you can inspect |
| Handoff | Last completed step and next action | Makes a short session easier to begin |
Copy identity from the containers you own. As an example of why the reference field helps, Vallejo's official Game Color chart lists colours by names and numerical references, and distinguishes Game Color from Xpress Color and other product types. Keep the range as well as the number. Source checked 2 November 2026.
Keep the record beside the project
Give the record, swatch and project box the same short identifier. Put a paper card outside the splash area or keep a text file open beside your session. When packing away, return the card with the project selection described in the paint storage guide.
Write while the mix is in front of you. If you add a little more light paint later, record the addition rather than leaving the original ratio as though nothing changed. If you cannot quantify an adjustment, say so: “extra light paint added by brush; final ratio unknown” is useful evidence for the next attempt.
Drop counts are a convenient starting description, not a guarantee of a repeatable colour or consistency. Identify which bottle supplied each count and record water or medium separately. A brush-load description is less precise, but remains useful when you name the brush and describe what you did. Compare a new trial with the saved dry swatch before committing to the remaining models.
Copy this project template
Use one row per stage. Duplicate a row when you change a mixture or method; leave unknown details marked “not recorded” instead of guessing later.
| Project field | Your entry |
|---|---|
| Project ID / revision / date | |
| Models included | |
| Surface and undercoat product | |
| Paint list: maker / range / full name / reference | |
| Palette and brush | |
| Viewing light and lamp setting | |
| Swatch ID and photograph filename | |
| Last completed step | |
| Next action |
| Stage and model area | Components and starting quantities | Water or medium; later changes | Application and observed result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 |
A plain text version can use the same field names, followed by numbered stages. Save a separate revision when changing the scheme. Include a date in the filename and keep a backup away from the device you use at the bench.
Worked example: a fictional project handoff
This is an example of record structure, not a tested colour recipe or a recommendation to mix particular products. Paint A and Paint B stand for the full label details you would enter from your own bottles.
| Entry | Fictional record |
|---|---|
| Project | Harbour patrol / revision 2 / 2 November 2026 |
| Scope | Three cloaks; fourth model reserved for comparison |
| Paint identity | Paint A and Paint B: full maker, range, name and reference copied in the project paint list |
| Starting mix | Three drops A, one drop B; no later paint addition |
| Adjustment | Water added with damp brush; quantity not recorded |
| Application | Two brush-applied coats on the recorded undercoat |
| Reference | Swatch HP-02; photograph HP-02-front |
| Handoff | Cloaks complete on models 1–3; compare a fresh trial with HP-02 before model 4 |
The missing water quantity is a useful limitation to preserve. At the next session, make a small trial and record its adjustments rather than treating this note as a complete formula. For terminology used in stage notes, see the painting techniques guide.
Use swatches and photographs together
Label a spare test piece with the project ID, surface and recipe revision. Record the underlying colour and coat sequence beside the dried sample. Keep experiments separate from the approved project reference so a promising trial does not silently replace the original.
Vallejo warns in its official chart that printed colour representations are approximate. A chart is useful for identifying products; retain your own physical reference for the project. Treat phone photographs as records of placement and progress, with the viewing conditions noted. Use a consistent bench light when comparing samples; the lighting guide explains placement and maker-stated specifications.
Choose paper or an app by the record you need
An app is optional. Games Workshop's 22 October 2026 announcement says Paint Warhammer's Hobby Desk supports projects, recipes, paint collections and notes. That is a manufacturer description, checked 2 November 2026; this guide does not assess the app's usability or export facilities. Before relying on any app, check whether you can retrieve your notes and keep an independent copy of essential recipes.
When replacing a discontinued paint, retain the original entry and add a dated substitution trial. Use the official paint-chart finder to locate maker guidance, then record the resulting project decision separately. A listed equivalent does not supply the missing application steps from your original recipe.
Sources & further reading
- Warhammer Community: Paint Warhammer app announcement — checked 2026-11-02
- Vallejo: Game Color and Xpress Color official chart — checked 2026-11-02
Citadel, Games Workshop, Warhammer, The Army Painter, Vallejo, AK Interactive and other names are trade marks of their owners, used here only to describe compatibility. We're not affiliated with them.